John 12:41
What does John 12:41 mean?
A plain-English look at John 12:41 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 12:41 means
John makes a striking claim: Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him. The “His” refers to Jesus. This means that the glory Isaiah beheld in his vision ultimately belongs to Christ. The rejected One is the very Lord whose majesty the prophet saw. This connects Jesus’ humiliation and rejection with His divine identity. It also validates the application of Isaiah’s prophecies to the current unbelief. Far from being a mere teacher, Jesus is the revelation of God’s glory, and the old prophetic witness testifies directly to Him.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000These things said Isaiah, because he saw his glory; and he spake of him.
KJV
King James Version · 1611These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901These things said Isaiah, because he saw his glory; and he spake of him.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949(Isaiah said these words because he saw his glory. His words were about him.)
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862these things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752These things said Isaias, when he saw his glory, and spoke of him.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890These things said Esaias because he saw his glory and spoke of him.
Context
Having quoted Isaiah on unbelief and hardening, John interprets the prophet’s vision as a sight of Jesus’ glory. This elevates the stakes: rejecting Jesus is rejecting the Lord. Next, John notes that, nevertheless, many even among the rulers believed, but fear of the Pharisees kept them from open confession. He then diagnoses their motive—love of human glory—and transitions to Jesus’ final public cry summarizing belief, revelation, light, and judgment.
v.40He hath blinded their eyes, and he hardened their heart; Lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, And should turn, And I should heal them.
v.41This passage
v.42Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 14:9
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father?
- Hebrews 1:3
who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
- Isaiah 6:1
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple.
- Luke 24:27
And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
- 1 Peter 1:11
searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them.
- Acts 10:43
To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.
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